Updated on March 6, 2024
A committee is a group of individuals who come together to discuss, decide, and take action on specific matters. The significance of a committee lies in its ability to bring together diverse perspectives and expertise to achieve a common goal. Throughout history, committees have played a crucial role in shaping societies, from ancient Greece's council of elders to modern-day governmental bodies.
The cultural importance of committees cannot be overstated. In many cultures, committees are a fundamental part of decision-making processes, from religious institutions to community organizations. Understanding the nuances of how committees operate in different cultural contexts can provide valuable insights into the values and priorities of a given society.
For those interested in language and culture, knowing the translation of committee in different languages can be particularly enlightening. For example, in Spanish, a committee is known as 'un comité,' while in German, it is 'ein Komitee.' In French, the term is 'un comité,' and in Mandarin Chinese, it is '委员会 (wěiyuánhuì).'
By exploring the translations of committee in different languages, we gain a deeper appreciation for the global significance of this important cultural institution.
Afrikaans | komitee | ||
The Afrikaans word 'komitee' is derived from the Dutch word 'comité', which itself is derived from the French word 'comité'. | |||
Amharic | ኮሚቴ | ||
The Amharic word ኮሚቴ is an international loan word derived from English. | |||
Hausa | kwamiti | ||
The word "kwamiti" derives from the Arabic "qawm" (nation) and the Hausa "ita" (to come). | |||
Igbo | kọmitii | ||
In Igbo, the term "kọmitii" derives from the verb "kọ" (to gather) and the suffix "-miti" (group or assembly). | |||
Malagasy | komity | ||
The word 'komity' in Malagasy originally meant a group of people entrusted with a task and comes from the French word 'comité' with the same meaning. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | komiti | ||
The word 'komiti' also means 'the place where chiefs meet' in Nyanja. | |||
Shona | komiti | ||
The word 'komiti' can also refer to a group of people assigned to perform a task together. | |||
Somali | guddiga | ||
Guddiga is derived from the Arabic word "gudda" meaning "group of people" or "assembly" | |||
Sesotho | komiti | ||
The word "komiti" is related to the word "okhoma", meaning "to read" or "to consult". | |||
Swahili | kamati | ||
The word "kamati" in Swahili is derived from the Arabic word "qāmat", meaning "assembly" or "gathering". | |||
Xhosa | ikomiti | ||
Ikomiti derives from the English word “committee”, but is often used to refer to social gatherings. | |||
Yoruba | igbimọ | ||
The word "igbimọ" in Yoruba has a broader meaning of "assembly" or "gathering", and can refer to various types of formal or informal gatherings. | |||
Zulu | ikomidi | ||
The Zulu word ikomidi shares its root with ikomidi, "to be together" or "be in agreement." | |||
Bambara | komite (jɛkulu) la | ||
Ewe | kɔmiti la | ||
Kinyarwanda | komite | ||
Lingala | komite ya kosala | ||
Luganda | akakiiko | ||
Sepedi | komiti ya | ||
Twi (Akan) | boayikuw no | ||
Arabic | اللجنة | ||
In Arabic, the word "اللجنة" ("committee") also means "group of people assembled for a conference or consultation."} | |||
Hebrew | וַעֲדָה | ||
The Hebrew word "ועדה" originally meant "appointment," and the root "עד" can also be found in the words "עֵד" (witness) and "עִדָּה" (congregation). | |||
Pashto | کمېټه | ||
In Pashto, "کمېټه" also means "group of people working together to achieve a particular goal". | |||
Arabic | اللجنة | ||
In Arabic, the word "اللجنة" ("committee") also means "group of people assembled for a conference or consultation."} |
Albanian | komiteti | ||
In Albanian, "komiteti" can also refer to a group of rebels or revolutionaries. | |||
Basque | batzordea | ||
The Basque word “batzordea”, meaning “committee”, originates from the verb “batzortu”, meaning “to gather” or “to meet”. | |||
Catalan | comitè | ||
In Catalan, "comitè" can also refer to a group of people organized to carry out a specific task or represent a particular constituency. | |||
Croatian | odbor | ||
The word "odbor" in Croatian comes from Slavic and is related to the words "dobro" (good) and "brate" (brother). | |||
Danish | komité | ||
In older texts it meant a board of directors; today a body appointed with specific duties. | |||
Dutch | commissie | ||
The Dutch word "commissie" is a loanword from the French "commission", but it has also taken on the meaning of a "percentage" or "fee" in Dutch. | |||
English | committee | ||
The word 'committee' comes from Latin 'committere,' meaning 'to promise, or entrust' and also 'to join' or 'form'. | |||
French | comité | ||
The word "comité" in French can also refer to a group of people tasked with administering a holiday, festival, or other event. | |||
Frisian | komitee | ||
It can also refer to a group of friends of a bride who help her the day of her wedding. | |||
Galician | comité | ||
In Galician, "comité" also refers to a group of people who gather for a specific purpose, often a religious one. | |||
German | komitee | ||
The German word "Komitee" is derived from the Latin word "comitia," which originally referred to political assemblies in ancient Rome. | |||
Icelandic | nefnd | ||
The word "nefnd" can also refer to a small group of people gathered to discuss a particular topic, similar to a panel or a task force. | |||
Irish | coiste | ||
The word 'coiste' comes from the Latin word 'consistere', meaning 'to stand together' or 'to agree'. | |||
Italian | comitato | ||
The Italian word "Comitato" derives from the Latin word "committere", which means "to entrust" or "to give authority". | |||
Luxembourgish | comité | ||
In Luxembourgish, the word "Comité" can also refer to a group of people assigned to carry out a specific task. | |||
Maltese | kumitat | ||
The word "kumitat" in Maltese is derived from the Italian word "comitato", which means "committee" or "group". | |||
Norwegian | komiteen | ||
In Norwegian, "komiteen" also means "the kitchen" or "the group". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | comitê | ||
In Portuguese, "comitê" can also refer to a group of people sent on a diplomatic mission or to a body of advisers to a head of state or government. | |||
Scots Gaelic | chomataidh | ||
The word "chomataidh" comes from the Gaelic word "comh-adhaidh," meaning "together with," and originally referred to a group of people who met together to discuss and make decisions. | |||
Spanish | comité | ||
The Spanish word "comité" is derived from the French "comité", which in turn comes from the Latin "comitatus," meaning "retinue" or "company." | |||
Swedish | utskott | ||
The word 'utskott' has its roots in a Middle Low German term that is related to 'shoot' or 'thrust'. | |||
Welsh | pwyllgor | ||
The word 'pwyllgor' is derived from 'pwyll' (mind) and 'gor' (together), indicating a collective body working towards a common goal. |
Belarusian | камітэт | ||
The Belarusian word "камітэт" is borrowed from French "comité" and also means "a group of people formed to deal with some particular matter" | |||
Bosnian | odbor | ||
The word "odbor" can also mean "department" or "bureau" in Bosnian. | |||
Bulgarian | комисия | ||
The word 'комисия' also exists in Russian and means both 'a commission' and 'a bribe' which is a false cognate of the Bulgarian 'комисия' that only means 'a commission'. | |||
Czech | výbor | ||
The word "výbor" also means "excellent" or "choice" in Czech. | |||
Estonian | komisjon | ||
The word “komisjon” comes from the French word “commission” and originally meant “an official body with a specific task to perform”. | |||
Finnish | komitea | ||
"Komitea" is a loanword from the French "comité" and the Latin "committere" (to entrust, to commit). | |||
Hungarian | bizottság | ||
The word "bizottság" derives from the old Hungarian word "bizott", meaning "trust". This reflects the trust placed in committees to carry out specific tasks. | |||
Latvian | komiteja | ||
The word "комітея" in Ukrainian, "komiteja" in Latvian, "koмитет" in Russian, and "komitet" in Polish all come from the French "comité," which in turn comes from the Latin "comitia," meaning "assembly". | |||
Lithuanian | komitetas | ||
The word "komitetas" is derived from the French word "comité", which in turn comes from the Latin word "comittere", meaning "to entrust" or "to send together." | |||
Macedonian | комитет | ||
The word "комитет" likely originates from the French word "comité". | |||
Polish | komisja | ||
The Polish word "komisja" derives from the French word "commission" which in turn comes from the Latin "commissio". It can also refer to a board or panel. | |||
Romanian | comitet | ||
In Romanian, the word "comitet" also has the narrower meaning of a local party organization or a group of local party leaders. | |||
Russian | комитет | ||
Russian word "комитет" comes from french word "comité" meaning "a group of people designated for a particular purpose". | |||
Serbian | одбор | ||
The word 'одбор' also means 'selection', and may be related to the word 'одабрати' (choose). | |||
Slovak | výbor | ||
In addition to its meaning as a committee, "výbor" can also refer to a selection or an excerpt. | |||
Slovenian | komite | ||
The word "komite" comes from the French word "comité", which itself derives from the Latin word "comitium", meaning "a place of assembly". | |||
Ukrainian | комітету | ||
"Комітет" is borrowed from French "comité", which in turn comes from Late Latin "committere" - to entrust, hand over. |
Bengali | কমিটি | ||
In English, "committee" comes from the ecclesiastical Latin "comittere" ("to entrust"), and its secondary sense of a group of people with an assigned task is unique to English. | |||
Gujarati | સમિતિ | ||
The word "સમિતિ" can also mean "a council" or "a society". | |||
Hindi | समिति | ||
The word "समिति" (committee) is derived from the Sanskrit word "समिति" meaning "assembly" or "gathering". It can also refer to a group of people appointed for a specific purpose. | |||
Kannada | ಸಮಿತಿ | ||
The Kannada word ಸಮಿತಿ, meaning “committee”, is derived from the Sanskrit word समिति, which also means “assembly” or “meeting”. | |||
Malayalam | കമ്മിറ്റി | ||
The word "കമ്മിറ്റി" in Malayalam, derived from English, refers to an appointed group with a specific task. | |||
Marathi | समिती | ||
समिती (samiti) is a Sanskrit word, related to समिति (samithi) which means assembly or meeting. | |||
Nepali | समिति | ||
The word "समिति" ("committee") is derived from the Sanskrit word "समित" ("assembly") and also refers to a "council" or "board". | |||
Punjabi | ਕਮੇਟੀ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කමිටුව | ||
කමිටුව derives from the Portuguese word comitiva, a group of companions who travelled together and assisted a person of authority | |||
Tamil | குழு | ||
குழு is also used to refer to a group of people working together on a project or task. | |||
Telugu | కమిటీ | ||
"కమిటీ" is derived from the Latin word "committere," meaning "to entrust" or "to give charge." | |||
Urdu | کمیٹی | ||
Urdu word "کمیٹی" is derived from the English word "committee" and also means "task" or "duty" in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 委员会 | ||
‘委员会’一词在中国也有‘小组’或‘团队’的意思,与英文‘team’或‘group’类似。 | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 委員會 | ||
委員會 in Classical Chinese meant the gathering of officials to deliberate upon policies in the imperial court. | |||
Japanese | 委員会 | ||
"委員会" can also mean "board" or "panel", depending on the context. | |||
Korean | 위원회 | ||
위원회 is a Sino-Korean compound word composed of 위 (爲, "do") and 원 (員, "member, group"), which shares the same origin with the English word "committee." | |||
Mongolian | хороо | ||
"хороо" (committee) in Mongolian comes from the verb "хор" (to surround, to enclose), implying a group working within a defined scope or boundary. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ကော်မတီ | ||
The word "ကော်မတီ" (committee) in Myanmar language is derived from the English word "committee" and is also used to refer to a "group of persons appointed to consider, investigate, or act upon a matter". |
Indonesian | komite | ||
The Javanese word 'komite' derives from Dutch 'comité', which is itself borrowed from French 'comité'. | |||
Javanese | panitia | ||
In addition to being a formal word for "committee", "panitia" can also be used in Javanese to refer to a bride's family's organizing committee for a wedding. | |||
Khmer | គណៈកម្មាធិការ | ||
The word “គណៈកម្មាធិការ” comes from Sanskrit “gana” which means "group," “karma” which means "action, work," and “adhikari” which means "supervisor," so the combined meaning is "group of work supervisors." | |||
Lao | ຄະນະ ກຳ ມະການ | ||
Malay | jawatankuasa | ||
Jawatankuasa is derived from the Sanskrit word 'yoga ksEma' (union of people for a specific purpose). | |||
Thai | คณะกรรมการ | ||
The word “คณะกรรมการ” is derived from the Sanskrit word “कर्म” (karma), meaning “action”, and “कार” (kara), meaning “doer”. | |||
Vietnamese | ủy ban | ||
The word "ủy ban" comes from the Chinese word "委員會", meaning "commission". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | komite | ||
Azerbaijani | komitə | ||
The word "komitə" in Azerbaijani is derived from the French word "comité", which means "a group of people appointed to consider or take action on a specific matter". | |||
Kazakh | комитет | ||
The word "Комитет" is derived from the French word "comité", which in turn is derived from the Latin word "committere", meaning "to entrust". | |||
Kyrgyz | комитет | ||
В русском языке слово «комитет» имеет французское происхождение, а в кыргызском — персидское (кумита) | |||
Tajik | кумита | ||
The Russian word "коми́тет" (committee) is borrowed and adapted to Tajik as "кумита". | |||
Turkmen | komiteti | ||
Uzbek | qo'mita | ||
“Qo'mita” originated from the Russian word “комитет” meaning a meeting or group of people in charge of a particular matter. | |||
Uyghur | كومىتېت | ||
Hawaiian | komite | ||
Komite derives from the English word "committee" and is also used to refer to "party" or "band". | |||
Maori | komiti | ||
The term 'komiti' is also used to refer to a group of people who come together to discuss and make decisions, similar to an advisory board or working group. | |||
Samoan | komiti | ||
The word 'komiti' can also refer to a 'council of chiefs'. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | komite | ||
The Tagalog word "komite" originates from the Spanish word "comité". |
Aymara | comité ukan uñt’ayata | ||
Guarani | comité rehegua | ||
Esperanto | komitato | ||
Esperanto's "komitato" is derived from the French word "comité," which in turn came from Latin word "committo," meaning "to entrust". | |||
Latin | committee | ||
In Latin, "committee" originally referred to a companion or associate, rather than a group assigned to a specific task. |
Greek | επιτροπή | ||
The word επιτροπή, while now meaning committee, also means assignment or delegation. | |||
Hmong | pab pawg | ||
The word "pab pawg" is also used to refer to the act of working together or assembling. | |||
Kurdish | şêwr | ||
"Şêwr" means "meeting" in Kurdish, and is related to the Persian word "shūrā" which means "consultation". | |||
Turkish | kurul | ||
The word "Kurul" also means "Board" or "Assembly" in Turkish. | |||
Xhosa | ikomiti | ||
Ikomiti derives from the English word “committee”, but is often used to refer to social gatherings. | |||
Yiddish | קאמיטעט | ||
The Yiddish word "קאמיטעט" is borrowed from Middle French "comité" or "comitet", ultimately from the Late Latin "committere" (meaning "to send to") | |||
Zulu | ikomidi | ||
The Zulu word ikomidi shares its root with ikomidi, "to be together" or "be in agreement." | |||
Assamese | কমিটি | ||
Aymara | comité ukan uñt’ayata | ||
Bhojpuri | समिति के ह | ||
Dhivehi | ކޮމިޓީންނެވެ | ||
Dogri | कमेटी दी | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | komite | ||
Guarani | comité rehegua | ||
Ilocano | komite | ||
Krio | kɔmiti | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | لێژنە | ||
Maithili | समिति | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯝꯃꯤꯇꯤ ꯑꯁꯤꯅꯥ ꯑꯦꯟ.ꯗꯤ.ꯑꯦ | ||
Mizo | committee a ni | ||
Oromo | koree | ||
Odia (Oriya) | କମିଟି | ||
Quechua | comité nisqapi | ||
Sanskrit | समिति | ||
Tatar | комитеты | ||
Tigrinya | ኮሚቴ | ||
Tsonga | komiti ya kona | ||